Everything in a human being’s life is about faith. All of life is designed to bring us from our normal posture (prideful independence) back to where God designed us to live (humble dependency upon Him). The only cure for worry and fear is faith. And faith comes from one Source, and one alone. We must do what is necessary to come to a place of settled trust in God.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

I love some surprises … an unexpected celebration, an accolade you never saw coming; a kind word (even if undeserved). There are some surprises that are a joy.

But there are others that are devastating. A friend who turns out to be an enemy; a tragedy that blindsides; a sudden financial burden that was completely unexpected and unprepared for; a loss of a friend; the viciousness of a gossiping enemy. Sometimes things happen entirely out of the blue. Perhaps you’re in one of those surprises right now.

What Do You Do with the Surprises of Life?

The wise writer of Proverbs 16 had obviously encountered surprises, for he gives us the wisdom from God that had been learned only on the anvil of difficulty. Here are three simple, amazingly effective instructions from Proverbs 16.

1. Take a Breath

Patience is better than power, and controlling one’s emotions, than capturing a city. (Proverbs 16:32)

The immediate tendency when surprised is to be filled with fear, worry, or anger and to ACT QUICKLY out of your emotions, not from a settled, reasoned wisdom. Gaining wisdom in any situation and finding God’s direction always takes time. Your initial reaction is almost always premature. You must learn to never react first and think later.

Ask God for the immediate grace to wait on Him, to be patient. Learn to recognize when you are responding purely from emotions. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but it’s end is death” (Proverbs 16:25).

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